Introduction
They are approx 6cms (2.5″ ) when they hatch & grow to 20-25cms (8-10″ ). They can live for 8 years or more. Leopard Geckos are one of the few gecko species with eyelids. A healthy gecko has a fat tail & you should avoid buying one with a thin tail. They are native to Pakistan, Afghanistan, India & Iran where they are found in harsh, arid mountain & desert regions. They are nocturnal, ground dwelling lizards& take cover during the heat of the day. They do not have adhesive toe pads like other Geckos. They are ideal lizards for first time keepers as they do not grow particularly big, are easy to keep & attractive to look at. They are ideal for older children because they are placid & son become accustomed to handling. Rough handling can cause the gecko to shed its tail & while this will re-grow the new one will not look as nice. They require little maintenance & the overall costs involved are relatively low.
Housing
It is possible to start with a small pen such as an Exo Terra Faunarium for a hatchling & then upgrade to a Terrarium when they grow larger. They can be kept singly, in pairs or in groups but as the males are aggressive there must only be one male per group. Males are slightly more heavy bodied & have a row of enlarged femoral pores running along the inner thigh.
Substrate & Furnishings
As they originate from very arid conditions it is important to provide a suitable environment. Exo Terra sand is ideal as a base & larger stones can be added to create a more realistic, rocky desert terrain. At least one hide per gecko should be included as it is important that they have the option to hide & have their own space if required.
Remove all droppings & clean the terrarium on a regular basis to prevent disease
Heating
Leopard geckos need a hot area of about 90°F (32°C) with a back round daytime temperature of 80°F (27°C) At night temperature should drop to about 70°F (21°C). This is when they move about most & feed. One of the best ways of heating for Leopard Geckos is the Exo Terra Heat Mat; choose an appropriate size to provide the right degree of heating, ensure only about half. Choose an appropriate size to provide the right degree of heat,ensure only about half the floor area is covered by the mat & the mat is correctly situated outside the glass. A digital thermometer should be placed near the hot end & one at the cool end to minitor temperatures. A thermostat is essential to control the heat source & prevent your pet from becoming too hot or too cold
Lighting
Unlike many reptiles, they do not need UVA or UVB lighting as they have developed to be mostly nocturnal. In fact too much UV light is detrimental & can cause eye problems. An incandescent daylight bulb ( Sun Glo) or a ReptiGlo 2.0 flourescent tube, set on a timer to give 10-12 hours daylight, can be used because they do not have high levels of UVB. A Night Glo bulb can be used to assist nocturnal viewing if desired.
Water
Geckos do not require much water, but a shallow bowl of clean water should be provided. Young ones can be gently sprayed & will drink the droplets.
Diet & Feeding
Feeding Leopard Geckos is very easy, they will take a wide variety of insects, crickets ( which are their main food) small locusts, wax worms & mealworms (only the latter in small quantities). Feed baby geckos a good meal every other day & adults 2/ 3 times a week. It is important not to over feed & to make sure all the food has been eaten before you offer more. Make sure the crickets are not too big, a good guide is to feed ones no bigger than the distance between the gecko’s eyes.
All insects should be well fed so that they contain maximum nutritional value when fed to the geckos. They normally come with food such as bran in the container. Once or twice a week, before offering them to the geckos,insects should be dusted with good quality reptile mineral/vitamin supplement powder. Exo Terra cricket feeders are perfect as a container to dust them in & then allow slow release into the Terrarium. Geckos will benifit from having a small dish of calcium ( calcium carbonate or grated cuttlefish) available at all times.
Salmonella
Like all living things, geckos can carry the naturally occuring bacteria Salmonella, which can be acquired through ingestion (by mouth). Good hygiene is therefore very important when keeping any animal. Remember you are more likely to acqire Salmonella from raw or under cooked chicken, a stale cream cake or a dog so do not automatically assume that your snake is the only suspect!
Always wash your hands after handling all animals.
Shedding
The most common problem with Leopard Geckos is with skin shedding. Like all reptiles they shed the outside layer of skin regularly but, unlike snakes, the discarded skin is normally eaten & is rarely seen. On occasion, however, the skin can become stuck around their toes & eyes. If you see your gecko having trouble shedding give it a spray with tepid water or place it in a separate box with damp kitchen paper. If this does not work seek further advice from your pet shop, reptile society or breeder. A shedding box woth damp moss or vermiculite should be provided & could double as an additional hide.
